Austria, the home of some of my ancestors and one of my favorite finds of the year, Empty Promise. This four-piece melodic punk band definitely took me by surprise and are sure to do the same to more listeners. Already having an impressive demo EP on their resume, Empty Promise continue to come out strong with their debut album, Start from the Ground.
What exactly does Empty Promise bring to the table? Well, they play a style of punk rock that's very upbeat and has no shortage of guitar solos and melodies. The great guitarwork on this album is one of the many things that makes it what it is. Whether it's a ridiculous solo or just them playing along with the melody of the song, the band's guitarists really show off their skill in a lot of ways. The solo in "Bottles" sounds similar to ones played by Death By Stereo and there are a few that could be passed off as something from the band A Wilhelm Scream, the solo in "Constant Reminder" for example. While the solos are a lot more noticeable, they aren't exactly the best thing about the guitarwork. How Empty Promise delivers quick and sharp riffs is what they do best and they are very consistent with it.
Every track on Start from the Ground is solid, but there are three songs that really hit home for me big time. The first one is the infectious opener "Days Go By" which has a catchy rhythm that will have you singing along for it's entirety. "Parkbench Tales" comes two tracks later and makes great use of gang vocals early on along with some fabulous bass playing. The third standout is the acoustic re-recording of "Mediocre Lies" from their EP Conscience Today and it really hits the listener hard when it comes on. There are plenty of other noteworthy tracks on Start from the Ground, too. There's "Wasting Time" with it's tempo change mid-way through and the chanting that closes the song make it very memorable, "Second Hand" also uses as similar method with the way it ends. There's also the great opening dueling guitars of "Breaking Out" to begin the song on a high note.
Another thing to comment on is the improved production of Start from the Ground compared to Conscience Today. The sound is still raw but the band sounds a lot tighter. The drumming provides a great pulse for their sound and the vocals sound much clearer. Empty Promise aren't exactly the most original band out there but they really excel at what they do, and a lot better than some of their peers.
Start from the Ground is an excellent "pop-punk" album that's sure to win over a lot of listeners. Again, it's not really anything groundbreaking but it's definitely great for what it is. Hard to find any faults with this record; semi-raw production, memorable hooks, great production, relatable lyrics - what's not to like? If you're into pop-punk that leans towards the punk side of things, then Start from the Ground is the record for you. I have a feeling that the executives at No Idea or Fat Wreck will be wanting this young band on their roster very soon.
